Last year we saw Microsoft retire Windows Server 2003 and
this year will see Microsoft retire yet another product. SQL Server 2005 is the
latest Microsoft product nearing its end of life date of April 12, 2016.
What does End of Life
mean for end users?
Every product we use is likely to have a lifecycle, and
Microsoft products are no different. All that Microsoft mean by the end of life
of any of their products, SQL Server 2005 included, is that Microsoft will no
longer support the product. Ultimately this means that Microsoft will no longer
provide automatic fixes, updates or online technical support for retired
products.
After April 12, 2016 SQL Server 2005 will no longer receive
assisted technical support from Microsoft, software and content updates or the
security patches that help provide protection from harmful viruses, spyware and
other malicious software, thus resulting in an insecure and unstable infrastructure for your business. Not
migrating away from SQL Server 2005 will expose you to an elevated risk of
cybersecurity dangers or malicious attacks.
What are the options?
Literally speaking you have two options, you can upgrade to
a newer version of SQL Server or you can continue to use an unsupported SQL
Server 2005. However it is highly advisable that you do upgrade, not only for
security reasons, but also because continuing to use an outdated system can
cause compliance issues and end up costing a small fortune in maintenance
costs.
Why upgrade?
Continuing to use out of date software poses potential
security risks and is likely to make you a prime target for hackers, as it is
easier for cyber criminals to exploit vulnerable software. After April 12, 2016
it is highly likely that you will need to invest in extra security to protect
the vulnerable SQL Server 2005, and the cost for maintaining aging hardware
will continue to increase with time. Another key reason to upgrade is
compliance, many compliances require up-to-date, patch databases, just like
they do with the operating system.
Additionally software has progressed since the release of
SQL Server 2005 and so there are significant improvements and features that
have been added to newer versions of SQL Server. For example SQL Server 2014
provides higher availability and scalability, with dramatic performance
improvement, compared with the soon to be outdated SQL Server 2005. The
benefits of upgrading to a modern data platform far outweigh the costs of
maintaining security, support and compliance for an unsupported database.
Act Now – Upgrade
Upgrading is an opportunity to provide new value to your
business, by enabling you to achieve breakthrough performance.
Here are the three key steps for upgrading away from SQL
Server 2005: discover, target and upgrade.
Step 1 – Discover:
It is highly recommended that you start by determining which
applications are running SQL Server 2005. This process can be done using the
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit or by collaborate with Practical Networks, a Microsoft
Partner, who will be able to assist with the whole
upgrade.
Step 2 – Target:
In this step you need to determine a migration destination
for each application, whether on-premises, virtualized or in the cloud. The
choice of destination will be driven by factors such as speed, ease of
migration, cost and desired functionality, with the most common choice being
Windows Server 2012 R2.
Step 3 – Upgrade:
The final step is to plan and execute the upgrade, this may
require additional assistance. Such assistance is available from Practical
Networks a trusted Microsoft Partner.
If you would like more information or any assistance with
your upgrade, please do not hesitate to get in touch with either David Philps
or Andy Potts on 01723 587240.
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